Açai Berry Attenuates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Damage in Genitourinary Axis-Modulating Nrf-2/HO-1 Pathways
Rosalba Siracusa,
Ramona D’Amico,
Roberta Fusco,
Daniela Impellizzeri,
Alessio Filippo Peritore,
Enrico Gugliandolo,
Rosalia Crupi,
Livia Interdonato,
Marika Cordaro,
Salvatore Cuzzocrea,
Rosanna Di Paola
Affiliations
Rosalba Siracusa
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Ramona D’Amico
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Roberta Fusco
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Daniela Impellizzeri
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Alessio Filippo Peritore
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Enrico Gugliandolo
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Rosalia Crupi
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Livia Interdonato
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Marika Cordaro
Department of Biomedical Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
Salvatore Cuzzocrea
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Rosanna Di Paola
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Cyclophosphamide (CYP) is used to treat different malignancies and autoimmune disorders in men. This chemotherapy frequently reduces tumors, which is beneficial, but also causes infertility because of severe oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the bladder and testes brought on by its metabolite, acrolein. The goal of this study was to assess the efficacy of a novel food, açai berry, in preventing CYP-induced damage in the bladder and testes. Methods: CYP was administered intraperitoneally once during the experiment at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight diluted in 10 mL/kg b.w. of water. Açai berry was administered orally at a dose of 500 mg/kg. Results: The administration of açai berry was able to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, apoptosis, and histological changes in the bladder and testes after CYP injection. Conclusions: Our findings show for the first time that açai berry modulates physiological antioxidant defenses to protect the bladder and testes against CYP-induced changes.
